Baby bath screen guard lock and release



Jan. 2, 1962 R. E. PARKER BABY BATH SCREEN GUARD LOCK AND RELEASE Filed July 17, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ROBERT E. PARKER Jan. 2, 1962 R. E. PARKER 3,015,111

BABY BATH SCREEN GUARD LOCK AND RELEASE Filed July 17, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

ROBERT E. PARKER United States Patent Ofiice 3,015,111 Patented Jan. 2, 1962 3,015,111 BABY BATH SCREEN GUARD LOGK AND RELEASE Robert E. Parker, Lacona, N.Y., assignor to Blount-Parker Corporation, Lacona, N .Y. Filed July 17, 1961, Ser. No. 124,439 6 Claims. (Cl. 4--177) This invention relates generally to a combination folding baby bath and dressing table having a screen guard at the back of the table. More particularly, the invention relates to a mechanism for locking the guard in operative position and for automatically unlocking the guard upon folding the bath and table.

Screen guards are customarily provided at the back of such folding bath stands but heretofore there has been no provision for locking the guard in place or, if a lock has been provided, it has been necessary to lock each side of the guard manually upon opening the stand or to separately unlock each side when folding the stand. Since there are usually many parts which must be simultaneously moved upon opening and folding such stands it has been very diflicult for the users thereof to determine just how to open and close the folding stands easily and quickly.

The principal object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a folding bath stand and table which may be quickly opened and closed, in which the screen guard may be positively locked in place by raising the guard, and in which the guard may be automatically unlocked for closing upon folding the stand.

Another object is to provide a simple and economical means in a folding bath stand for locking a screen guard at the back of the stand against accidental movement backward or forward when the stand is open, and for automatically unlocking the guard upon closing the stand.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective vie-w of a folding bath stand according to the invention, showing the tub open and the table raised;

' FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 2-2 of FIG. 3;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary end elevational view of the guard locking and unlocking mechanism of the stand of FIG. 1;

FIGURES 4 and 5 are fragmentary end elevational views of the opened stand of FIG. 1 showing the dressing table in work and raised positions respectively;

FIGURE 6 is an end elevational view of the stand in FIG. 1 collapsed and folded for storage; and

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary end elevational view of the parts shown in FIG. 3 in folded position.

Referring more particularly to FIGURES 1, 4, 5 and 6 the combination folding baby bath and table 10 includes generally a fabric or plastic tub portion 11, a cross legged tub support frame 12, a dressing table 13, a screen guard 14, and a lower shelf pivotally secured in the frame and adapted to be supported by a cross member thereon.

The support frame 12 is of tubular construction and comprises a front leg frame 16 and a rear leg frame 17, both generally Ushaped, the right and left leg portions respectively of the frames being connected as shown by leg pivot pins 18 substantially midway of the legs. Front leg frame 16 is slightly wider than the rear leg frame 17 and the legs of frame 16 are secured to the respective legs of frame 17 on the outer side thereof. The lower portions of the legs of front frame 16 constitute the rear feet of the stand and those of rear frame 17 the front feet, plastic tips 19 being provided therefor.

Table 13 is pivotably and swingably secured on frame 12 by a generally U-shaped bail 20 of bent rod (FIGS. 3 and 4), the two side arms 21 thereof being pivotally secured to the rear leg frame 17 by welding them intermediate their ends to table pivot pins 22. The pins 22 (FIG. 2) pass through the right and left legs of the frame 17 between the top of the frame and pivot pins 18. Spacer washers 23 are provided to space the arms 21 from the frame. The ends ofarms 21 are bent inwardly to form trunnions 24 which extend into holes in the end edge flanges of table 13 intermediate the front and back sides thereof. The arms 21 of bail 20 function as positioning arms for swinging table 13 to its folded position (FIG. 6), to a work position supported on the frame 12 (FIG. 4), or to a raised position extending substantially vertically back of the tub 11 (FIGS. 1 and 5).

Counter balance springs 25 are provided and extend from either end of the cross-bar of bail 20 to the legs of rear frame 17. A foot pedal 26, pivotally supported on the right lower front frame leg, is operably connected by a drop rod 27 to a table operating arm 28 welded to the right hand table positioning arm 21 for raising and lowering table 13 between its work and raised positions.

The screen guard 14 comprises a fabric envelope 29 slipped over the closed end of a U-shaped bail 30 of bent rod, the guard supporting legs or arms 31 of which are welded adjacent their ends, as best seen in FIG. 2, to cam members 32. Cams 32 have a central bore 33 through which the table pivot pins 22 project so that the cams are rotatably carried thereon. The inner or cam face 34 of each member 32 inclines inwardly from top to bottom (when screen guard 14 is in its raised position) so that member 32 is cammed outwardly on pin 22 -by the table positioning arm 21 when the table is lowered below its work position in folding the stand as will be explained more fully hereinafter.

The end of each guard support arm 31, i.e., the extension 35 below cam member 32, is turned inwardly to form a locking lug 36 which is registrable, when screen guard 14 is raised to the vertical position, witha locking hole 37 provided in each of the rear frame legs -17.

Each table pivot pin 22 extends outwardly beyond its associated guard support cam 32 a distance in excess of the distance which the locking lug 36 extends within frame leg 17, and is provided with a lock nut 38 engaged with itsouter end. A coil spring 39 on the pin 22 between cam 32 and nut 38 provides an axially inward bias to the cam.

Since the legs of'the rear frame17 are inside the corresponding legs of the front frame 16, the table positioning arms 21 and the guard support arms 31 are provided with outwardly offset portions at 40 and 41, respectively (FIGS. 1 and 7), in order to clear the legs of frame 16 and the ends of table 13. The table pivot pins, cams 32, and nuts 38 thus do not protrude objectionably beyond the ends of table 13 and beyond the legs of frame 16.

The operation of the combined bath and stand 10 will now be described. To open the stand, the front side of table 13 is first lifted from the position shown in FIG. 6 to swing it into .a substantially horizontal position on its positioning arms 21, the back side of the table being supported on top of the rear leg frame 17 as indicated in FIG. 4. The screen guard 14 is carried upwardly with the table on the support arms 31, arms 21 and 31 all being carried on the rear frame legs 17 by the pivot pins 22. The upper portion of the front leg frame 16 is then pulled forward expanding the tub i l, the expanded tub limiting the opening movement of frame 16 and 17. Shelf 15 is now free to be lowered to its open position supported by the cross brace between the front feet.

Screen guard 14 may now be manually raised to its operative or vertically disposed position shown in FIG. 4

or'the table 13 may be turned to its raised position as shown in FIG. 5, carrying the screen guard 14 with it. In either case, as the screen guard reaches its vertical position the locking lugs 36 strike the tubular legs of the rear'frame 17 and, as rearward pressure is applied to the bail 30, the lugs 36 are-cammed outwardly, carrying earns 32 outwardly on pins 22 and compressing springs 39, un til the lugs 36 snap into the locking holes 37. The screen guard 14 is now locked in its raised or operative position until lugs 36 are withdrawn from holes 37.

Table 13 may now be raised or lowered by clockwise or counterclockwise movement of the pedal 26, according to the Wishes of the operator for washing or dressing the infant.

After use, the stand may be collapsed and folded for storage byraising the table 13, collapsing the tub 11 by folding the front leg frame 16 back against the rear leg frame 17, and raising the shelf 15. Table 13 is now lowered and swung downwardon its pivot 22. As the table swings downward past thehorizontal position shown in FIG. 4, the table positioning. arms 21 contact the cam surfaces34 of members'32 and cam the guard support arms 31 outward against the spring 35'. When table 13 has swung a major portion of the distance toward its folded position, the lugs 36 are carnmed out of the holes 37 and the screen guard will fall or may be turned to its folded position as shown in FIG. 6.

It will now be apparent that the provision of the locking lugs 36 and the cooperating holes 37 in the tubular legs provide means for automatically camming the guard into its locked operative position from which it is impossible for it to be accidentally moved. The provision of the cams 32 and associated parts provide means for auto matically releasing the screen guard lock upon collapsing the tub and swinging the table to folded position. There is no necessity for manually-releasing the lock at each end of the table, which is awkward to do simultaneously and is complicated when done successively.

As will be apparent to those familiar with the art, the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof The embodiment disclosed is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative rather than restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims.

I What is claimed is:

1. In a folding bath stand including supporting legs and a dressing table selectively movable into a plurality of different positions, pivot pins carried by a pair of said supporting legs, positioning arms for said table carried by said pivot pins, a screen guard selectively movable into a plurality of different positions and adapted to coact with said dressing table when the latter is in use, cam means mounted on said pivot pins, support arms for said screen guard operably connected to said cam means, and means on said support arms engageable with said pair of legs to lock said screen guard in an operative, substantially upright position, said cam means being actuated by said table positioning arms when the table is moved into one of its positions to release said support arm means from locking engagement with said pair of legs.

- 2. In a folding bath stand and tub of the cross-legged type having a dressing table movable from a raised position tolowered and folded positions, said table being carried-on positioning arms pivotally connected to the table, said positioning arms being secured to pivot pins carried by legs of said stand; the improvement comprising a screen guard carried on support arms, cam members pivotally carried on said pivot pins, said support arms being operably connected to said cam members, and inwardly turned projections on said support arms for locking engagement with said legs adjacent said pivot pins, said cam members having axially eccentric cam portions resiliently urged against said positioning arms and being operable to cam said projections from engagement with said legs when said table is moved to folded position.

3. In a folding bath stand having supporting legs and a dressing table carried by a pair of positioning rods that are pivotally carried on pins extending from a pair of the supporting legs; the improvement comprising a screen guard, a pair of guard support arms, an axially eccentric cam member rotatably and slidably carried on each pin, said support arms being operably connected to said cam members and having inwardly extending projections, a recess in each of said pair of legs adjacent said pins registrable with said projections for locking engagement therewith, and resilient means urging said cam members and projections toward said pair of legs, said cam eccentrics being disposed so as to be cammed by said positioning rods to disengage said projections from said recesses when the table is moved to folded position.

4. The bath stand of claim 2 having a cam surface on each of said pair of legs adjacent said locking recesses'for moving said projections into locking engagement with th legs when the screen guard is raised.

5. The combination with a crosslegged folding bath stand and tub, of a pair of longitudinally eccentric guard release cam members, each cam member being rotatably and slidably mounted on a longitudinally extending pivot pin, said pins being mounted on a pair of said legs of said bath stand, a dressing table, a table positioning arm carried on each pivot pin, each arm being pivotally connected to said table substantially medially of a respective end thereof, a screen guard having support arms disposed outwardly of said table ends and secured to said cam members, said support arms having inwardly turned extensions for locking engagement with registering recesses in said pair of legs, and resilient means on said pivot pins for normally urging said extensions into engagement with said legs, the cam portions of said members being disposed for camming said extensions out of locked engagement with said recesses upon folding said table to folded position.

6. In a folding bath stand and tub of the cross-legged type having a dressing table carried on positioning arms pivotallyvconnected to said table substantially mediallyof the ends thereof, said positioning arms being mounted on pivot pins carried on a pair of legs of said bath stand, whereby said table is movable from a verticalposition to the rear of said stand to a horizontal position resting on the opened stand, and to a third vertical position in front of the folded stand; the improvement comprising a screen guard carried on support arms at the ends thereof, axially eccentric release cam members pivotally and slidably carried on said pivot pins exteriorly of said positioning arms, said support arms being operably connected to said cam members and having inwardly turned extensions for locking engagement with registering holes in said legs adjacent said pivot pins, resilient means for urging said cam members against said positioning arms, and means on said legs for camming said extensions into engagement with said holes, said cam members being actuated by said positioning arms to cam said extensions out of said locking holes when said table is moved to its folded position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,467,467 De Puy et a1 Apr. 19, 1949 

